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Stadium:
Crisler Arena
Crisler Arena, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is the home arena for the University of Michigan men's and women's basketball teams. Constructed in 1967, the arena seats 13,751 spectators. It is named for Herbert O. "Fritz" Crisler, head football coach at Michigan from 1938 to 1947 and athletic director thereafter until his retirement in 1968. The arena is often called "The House that Cazzie Built," a reference to legendary player Cazzie Russell who starred on Michigan teams that won three consecutive Big Ten Conference titles from 1964 to 1966. Russell's popularity caused the team's fanbase to outgrow Yost Fieldhouse (now Yost Ice Arena) and prompted the construction of the current facility. At Michigan men's basketball games, the recently-added bleacher seats behind the benches are home to the Maize Rage student section. Despite being on a Big Ten Conference campus, the facility hosted the 1980-1982 Mid-American Conference men's basketball tournament. It has also hosted Big Ten and NCAA gymnastics championships, the 1999 Big Ten wrestling championship, and other events. Previously, the arena was the full-time home to the men's and women's gymnastics teams and the wrestling team, before the opening of Cliff Keen Arena. (Women's gymnastics, however, continue to hold big meets in the arena.)

Team History:
The men's basketball team plays its games at Crisler Arena. The Wolverines have won 12 Big Ten regular-season conference titles, as well as the inaugural Big Ten Tournament in 1998, which it later forfeited due to NCAA violations. The team has appeared in the NCAA Final Four on six occasions (1964, 1965, 1976, 1989, 1992* and 1993*) and won the national championship in 1989 under Steve Fisher. The program later forfeited its 1992 and 1993 Final Four appearances due to NCAA violations. Other notable players who played for Michigan include Daniel Horton, Bernard Robinson, Gary Grant, Terry Mills, Glen Rice, Jalen Rose, Rumeal Robinson, Jamal Crawford, Chris Webber, Cazzie Russell, and Mark Hughes (current Sacramento Kings assistant coach). During the 1990s, the program became involved in a scandal involving alleged payments from a booster (Ed Martin) to four players (Chris Webber, Maurice Taylor, Robert Traylor and Louis Bullock). The scandal ultimately resulted in four years' probation and a self-imposed ban from postseason play in the 2002-03 season. UM also voluntarily forfeited regular season games and "vacated" NCAA tournament games from selected past seasons. Since the scandal Michigan basketball has posted a 144-131 record and has not made the NCAA tournament.

Season Preview:
The demands can be excessive in Ann Arbor, the demanders excessively critical. But the Michigan Wolverines entered last season in full agreement with their fans. The 2005 campaign, with its 7-5 record and unranked finish, was unacceptable. So with unprecedented angst swirling around Lloyd Carr's program, his team responded in 2006. The Wolverines won their first 11 games in dominating fashion, dictating with a defense that reminded some of Michigan's 1997 national title team. Another championship was in the Wolverines' sights … until they finished by yielding 74 points in their last two games, losses at Ohio State and to USC in the Rose Bowl. So the angst returned, or at least some of it did. A tremendous season was marred by two sobering facts: Michigan has lost four straight bowl games; and Carr is now 1-5 against Ohio State coach Jim Tressel. The Wolverines' last win over their rivals came in 2003. "Fair or unfair, it's the truth," Michigan running back Mike Hart said after his team's 32-18 loss to USC in the Rose Bowl. "As good as our careers have been so far, we haven't won a bowl game and we haven't beat Ohio State."

Official Site:
mgoblue.com